Nominate youth for two days of hands-on tech workshops!

Our 2019 Central Oregon program is pleased to host our event at COCC- Madras will be held on Friday, April 26th, and Saturday, April 27th 2019. Please note: gender fluid, trans, and non-binary youth are also welcome!

This program is much more than just an opportunity to learn about tech careers. In addition to participating in fun, hands-on technical workshops, participants will have the opportunity to have a technical mentor and participate in on-going workshops. The program is a fun, positive learning experience designed to build participants’ confidence in their technical abilities, provide positive role models, and create connections with other young women from Bend and surrounding areas.

This event is offered free-of-charge to participants, with transportation, food, child care stipends, and accommodations for students with different abilities as needed.

A crucial aspect of our program is finding young women who would not otherwise have thought of themselves as technologists. As educators, many of you have seen young women not reach their potential in STEM because they thought it was too difficult—or it wasn’t what they’ve seen women do. By asking educators to hand-select our participants, we are giving our participants a vote of confidence: people who know them and their abilities have nominated them for this exclusive opportunity!

Who Qualifies for the Program

Will be in 9th-12th grade as of November 2018 (we will consider younger students if the teacher or parent believe they are mature enough for the program.)

Are creative and willing to learn new things

Have not participated in computer science courses, technology projects/programs, or technology-related camp before due to lack of interest and/or financial resources

Would benefit from exposure to hands-on activities, mentoring opportunities and career exposure

Would not consider a tech career without extra encouragement

We also ask that when nominating that you try to ensure:

At least (50%) of nominees are eligible for free or reduced lunch

At least (2/3) of nominees have not created technology before (i.e. who are not already on a robotics team, etc.)

What happens after the nomination?

Letters for those nominated will be e-mailed to them and the person nominating them within a week of their nomination with instructions to register for the event by April 19th and to complete a parental consent form.

Once the girls register for the event, we will send a confirmation email to them that provides the details of the event along with ongoing communication that provides them with more exciting news and any transportation coordination that is necessary. We will also provide the nominator with occasional updates on who registered and who hasn’t to enable you to provide helpful encouragement if needed.

On April 26th and 27th the girls participate in the event that ends with a Tech Show at the end of the second day where the girls display and their projects to the friends and family. We encourage you to attend this event to show your support. We will send nominators information regarding the exact time and location of the Tech Show when we closer to the event.

FAQ

What do students gain from participating?
Our program provides a fun, positive learning experience designed to build participants’ confidence in their technical abilities, provide them with positive role models, help them create connections with other young women from their community, and create a positive association with technology creation.

What does it cost?
We are proud to offer ChickTech:High School program at no cost to high school participants. We also provide transportation help as needed, meals and snacks at events, and a childcare stipend if needed for participants who have children.

Can only girls participate in ChickTech events?
Our programs are open to any youth who identifies as a girl, along with trans, non-binary, and gender-fluid youth, in grades 8 through 12. The benefit of an all-girl experience is supported by a significant body of research. Learn more about our inclusion policy.

How many students can I nominate?
There isn’t a limit. We want educators to nominate girls who wouldn’t normally be encouraged to pursue STEM.

How much experience do students need?
None. In fact we strongly encourage the nomination of girls who have never participated in technology programs or classes before. Our goal is to have ⅔ of our participants with no experience, although we would never turn away a registered participant because they do have experience!

Why do you request nominations?
This unique recruitment strategy not only reaches the intended demographic (those who have not self-selected into technology), it also creates excitement among participants by providing them with an immediate boost of confidence through the recognition of their strengths and abilities. It also allows us to get a more diverse set of participants with minimal effort from busy teachers and counselors!

I love what ChickTech is doing, how can I get more involved?
We are always in need of volunteers to help organize and promote our events, lead workshops and raise money to support our programs. As an educator, providing connections to other schools and encouraging them to participate is extremely helpful! Please feel free to reach out to us.